A blog of the Greater Oklahoma City chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA
The name of this blog is taken from the preamble of the Charter of the United Nations (1945):
"We the Peoples of the United Nations, Determined...
to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small...."

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

The Struggle Continues

The State House of Representatives Approves House Bill 1412 by a Vote of 67 to 17; Now it Moves to the State Senate

The Oklahoma House of Representatives voted on House Bill 1412 at about 7:30 this evening. Floor debate on the proposed new law was animated as representatives from urban and rural parts of the state posed challenging questions to Rep. Sally Kern about her Anti-UN measure.

The debate against the bill was led by Rep. Mike Shelton. He was aided by Representatives Ed Cannaday, Kay Floyd, Rebecca Hamilton, Jerry McPeak, David Perryman, Cory Williams, and possibly others. (I wasn't able to watch the entire discussion).

A complete roll call vote will be reflected in the House Journal when it is published -- probably sometime tomorrow. .

The opponents of HB 1412 were well prepared to call attention to the deficiencies of Rep. Kern's bill -- the confusing language, the lack of definitions, the lack of evidence that any new law is needed, etc. Rep. Shelton mocked the premise of the bill, comparing the anti-Agenda 21 narrative to a fictional radio drama ("The War of the Worlds").

The lop-sided nature of the vote suggests that representatives were voting along party lines -- but, protection of intellectual freedom and good governance are not partisan issues. We will reach out to conscientious Republicans and Democrats as we seek a majority of State Senators to oppose House Bill 1412.

Please continue to watch this blog for more information as we continue our efforts to stop HB 1412 before it becomes law.